Vasco: The Congress has demanded an inquiry into the fire at Vasco’s Sunday Market, alleging lapses in firefighting preparedness.
South Goa MP Viriato Fernandes urged the state government to declare it a state disaster to ensure relief for affected vendors.
A Congress delegation visited the fire-ravaged market on Thursday to assess the situation and interact with affected shopkeepers and residents. It included AICC general secretary in-charge ManikraoThakare, AICC secretary in-charge Dr Anjali Nimbalkar, GPCC president Girish Chodankar, Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao, Quepem MLA and GPCC working president Altone D’Costa, OBC Cell chairman Nitin Chopdekar and Congress leader Nandadeep Raut.
“Three fires were reported at different locations in Vasco on the same night,” said Chodankar, demanding for an inquiry, and rehabilitation and compensation for vendors.
He also objected to Alemao being prevented from entering the affected area.
Mormugao Deputy Collector Prataprao Gaunkar stopped Alemao from entering the cordoned-off fire site, leading to a heated exchange. Alemao questioned the availability of foam tenders and criticised the reliance on private firefighting resources, including those of the Mormugao Port Authority.
Calling the government an “event management government”, Alemao alleged that adequate equipment and arrangements were lacking despite the existence of a disaster management office in Panaji.
“The issue of disaster management has been raised in the assembly over the past two years without adequate corrective action. Vasco is sitting on a time bomb,” said Alemao, calling for better preparedness in densely populated market areas.
Fernandes, who also visited the market, called for fire audits of markets across Goa, saying investigations would reveal shortcomings in firefighting preparedness. He said the government must support the 150 vendors who lost their livelihoods in the blaze.
Meanwhile, Chicalim sarpanch Kamala Prasad Yadav expressed support to the affected vendors
and assured them that sheds would be constructed for them.
He also promised assistance and urged the government to provide financial and other support to help the traders recover.
Yadav said many vendors had stocked large quantities of goods in anticipation of Diwali.
‘Hydrants failed, fire tenders had to go to Dabolim’
Vasco: Congress leaders, who visited the Vasco Sunday Market that was gutted in a blaze late Wednesday night, raised questions over the functioning of fire hydrants installed at four to five locations in the market.
The hydrants reportedly failed to supply water during the blaze, forcing fire tenders to travel to Dabolim to refill their tanks.
Alemao, Thakare and other Congress leaders attempted to draw water from a hydrant but found papers stuffed inside it.
The Opposition alleged that functional hydrants near the market could have saved crucial
time during firefighting operations and helped prevent more shops from being gutted.
Sources said the Vasco fire station had repeatedly written to the authorities seeking water connections to the hydrants.
Around a decade ago, the municipality reportedly assured that water supply would be provided after the chief officer’s bungalow project was completed. However, the hydrants have allegedly remained dry for more than a decade.
Questions were also raised over a hose reel that developed holes during firefighting operations, prompting further concerns about the condition of firefighting equipment.
Vasco fire: AAP blames faulty safety infra, demands vendor aid
Vasco: Inadequate fire safety infrastructure, including faulty hydrants and damaged fire hoses, worsened the blaze at the Vasco Sunday Market, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) said on Thursday.
The party demanded immediate alternative arrangements and full compensation for vendors affected by the fire.
AAP Goa President Valmiki Naik, who visited the site on Thursday, said the government failed to address the needs of an industrial, commercial, and residential hub such as Vasco.
Naik and AAP Women’s Wing President Mamata Maben confronted BJP MP Sadanand Shet Tanavade alongside other BJP leaders at the site. The confrontation was followed by an altercation with police officers, whom AAP leaders accused of trying to prevent them from questioning the ruling party leaders.
Maben said vendors were worried about the loss of stock purchased for Diwali and questioned the absence of clear information on immediate relief. She said BJP leaders focused on publicity instead of answering questions regarding assistance for affected traders.
AAP South Goa Youth Wing President Neash Coutinho questioned the police action and demanded a state-wide fire safety audit. Advocate Sunil
Loran, Vice-President of the AAP Goa Legal Wing, said the government should release aid promptly and warned against subjecting affected vendors to lengthy paperwork.
Coutinho and Loran were also present at the scene.
